Thread: Evaluating Shea McClellin to Date................

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

3 guys in the DL area that we were "suspected to be looking at"

		TACKLES			SACKS		INTERCEPTIONS					FUMBLES
PLAYER	TEAM	SOLO	AST	TOTAL	SACK	YDSL	PD	INT	YDS	LONG	TD	FF	REC	TD
Whitney Mercilus, LB	HOU	8	1	9	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Chandler Jones, DE	NE	18	15	33	6	33	2	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
Shea McClellin, DE	CHI	3	5	8	2.5	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Jones is the standout; and he doesnt' have the benefit of an Peppers or Watt helping him out. He's also had to learn the 3-4 and 4-3 all in his rookie year. Shea and Whitley look like the same player, but playing different positions; Shea has 1.5 more sacks, but no fumbles or pass defended. Considering he's in there as a pass rusher, I'd like to see the PD #'s increase.

Jones is also playing as a full time OLB/Rushbacker role in NE which he wouldn't have played here. If you want to see what Jones would probably have done here look at Corey Wooton's stats. That's how he'd have been used.

That pass rushing position in NE is a lot like our WLB spot is here. We design our defense in a way that Briggs get a lot of tackles and NE designs their's in a way that gets their OLB a lot of sacks. They resurrected Mark Anderson's career by using him that way and if McClellin was playing in NE his stats would be better too.

I would have had no problem taking Jones over McClellin but comparing them this way doesn't really tell the whole story either. Jones probably plays 30 more snaps a game than McClellin does too. More opportunity, better stats.

There is a good chance he would have outplayed Izzy for starting DE Soul. Something Shea never stood a chance of, even though Emery made it sound like he could. Even if he wasn't, he'd be a clear starter when Izzy/Peppers moved on and Shea is definately not that.

besides, I thought you couldn't hold a rookie DL to a high standard b/c it took awhile to get used to the league....seems Jones has done just fine; and w/out the benefit of a beefy DL surrounding him.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

There is a good chance he would have outplayed Izzy for starting DE Soul. Something Shea never stood a chance of, even though Emery made it sound like he could. Even if he wasn't, he'd be a clear starter when Izzy/Peppers moved on and Shea is definately not that. (Yet, we don't know what the future holds for him. It may not even be at DE)

besides, I thought you couldn't hold a rookie DL to a high standard b/c it took awhile to get used to the league....seems Jones has done just fine; and w/out the benefit of a beefy DL surrounding him. (The Bears DL is anything but beefy when you compare it to NE's. Love/320lbs, Wilfork/325lbs, Brace/330lbs. Paea goes 300lb, Toe is 308lbs, and the rest go 290-295lbs. So "where's the beef"?)

And there's a chance he wouldn't have Ric. The Bears rotate their lineman. He gets more snaps in NE than he would have gotten here. Maybe a more accurate way to compare would be to look at what Wootton and McClellin have done in combination. Then at least you'd have about an equal number of snaps to base a comparison on.

I never said rookie DLineman couldn't do well. Look at Mark Anderson's rookie year with the Bears. When we used him strictly as a pass rusher he did well. Once Lovie decided to turn him into an every down player his production as a pass rusher went to hell. The Pats resurrected it playing him just like Jones is playing now. That's a far better comparison that using McClellin whose a much different type of player.

And don't go there with the beefy line thing. The Pats use big run stuffing NTs in the middle. They average about 325lbs in the middle of their line and those guys can move too. Wilfork is very quick for a guy his size. The interior of the Bear defensive line averages less than 300lbs and it built to penetrate not run stuff. Jones is playing a much different game next to much bigger lineman than he would if he was playing in Chicago.

This isn't a put down on Jones or a huge boost for McClellin it's just that it's very difficult to compare them when they play for different teams and in very different systems.

Begs the question if Shea turns out to only be a situational player do you play him as such regardless of his salary and draft status or is he forced to start?

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Soul, this team wanted to give Shea the chance to get that starting spot from Izzy; and it was clear early on that he couldn't and that's when the the story changed to a situational guy that needed time to get used to the NFL(I was not indicated it was your theory, merely what was coming out of HH). Jones might not have been able to do what the Bears hoped Shea could do, but looking at his performance so far it tells me he COULD have outperformed Izzy; he's playing at a high level for all players, not just rookies. And I think it speaks to Jone's NFL intellect that he can, in his rookie year, perform at a high level, while also learning the 3-4 and 4-3. He has had no issues getting used to the NFL.

I wasn't talking about the size of the line, but the quality of it's compenents. They have no Peppers on the other side who is going to take double/triple teams from the rest of the line. They don't have the depth to move in and out and keep them fresh.

I think it's fair to compare them when both were mid to late round DE's who's GM's had high expectations for, and one is capable of starting and playing at a high level and one is capable of being a situational guy and has done average; which btw is better then I thought he'd do until he had a year or 2 to add some weight.

Don't give me scheme or rotations, If Shea was capable of handling the starting position and more playing time he'd be out there. Fact is he's not. Shea is a nice complimentary piece, but he's not showing to be anything more then that. And IMO you can get complimentary pieces outside of the first.

You say potatoe I say potato.

Ric for all we know Jones could turn into another Mark Anderson a year from now and McClellin into another Clay Matthews. I believe my logic is sound.

Looking at them right now just seven or eight games into their respective careers is like trying to tell the delivery guys how you want your new furniture arranged by looking into the room through a keyhole.

Insufficient data.

Originally Posted by soulman

You say potatoe I say potato.

Ric for all we know Jones could turn into another Mark Anderson a year from now and McClellin into another Clay Matthews. I believe my logic is sound.

Looking at them right now just seven or eight games into their respective careers is like trying to tell the delivery guys how you want your new furniture arranged by looking into the room through a keyhole.

Insufficient data.

True but you gotta give Jones credit from what he have done and if I had to choose one of them right now I'll take Jones. However over time I think that Shea will become a better player. He needs more reps get comformtable playing DE and just more overall experience. To be honest I didn't expect him to do that well but he did. If he continues his learning curve I'm sure we have a really good DE in that kid.

Perhaps in the immediate future we will see McC do more and more. Like BU says he's smart and not making mistakes. So if he's limiting the mistakes and helping the D win I'll take it.